Ep18 Death, Drama, and Dedication—The Life of a Crime Reporter

In this episode, Nick and Jay sit down with Anna Merriman, a veteran crime reporter, to explore the adrenaline-fueled, often heavy world of reporting on humanity’s darkest moments. The conversation kicks off with some surprising “crime pro tips,” like why you should never trust a space heater, always clean out your dryer’s lint trap, and, oh yeah, maybe avoid anyone with a suspiciously long trail of unlucky exes.

Our guest, who’s spent over a decade covering everything from standoffs and murders to bizarre fire safety fails, opens up about how she maintains a semblance of normalcy in a career that’s anything but. She shares chilling stories of cases that went national and offers insight into why local journalism—and the dying institution of the newsroom—matters so much for communities. Jay and Nick delve into the toll this line of work can take, yet somehow manage to keep it light with humor and curiosity, proving that even the darkest stories have a glimmer of human resilience.

Tune in for an inside look at what it really takes to document life’s tragedies without letting it break you.

Getting some hours in.